I think my biggest influences in life are the people who've touched my soul.  Friends, family, even strangers, have left lasting impressions that make me want to succeed at whatever I try.  My hero was my dad, who worked tirelessly to build a life for his children.  His greatest gift to us all was humor.  He taught us to laugh no matter what lie ahead. I would define myself as an analytical realist and a dreamer.  You can only imagine the confusion that goes on internally sometimes.  The dreamer writes fiction while thinking of the happily every after, yet during editing, the realist comes out.  I've been a people watcher and go-to person for years, thus I've learned to see different angles and all viewpoints.  There is no one way to live, be, think or feel.  To be honest, I'd never written more than a grocery list until 2009.  I've always been a blue-collar, middle management person, so this new passion came out of nowhere as I sat at my computer following an idea.  The 'Sit N Do Nothing Hamster Series' is my attempt to bring us closer in this technological world.  We all have a hamster that continually spins the wheel in our minds.   Using humor, comparison and pull-quotes, the workbooks make the reader the 'STAR'.  Each of the seven volumes, asks the reader about their lives, thoughts, wishes, experiences and hopes.  We are all an accumulation of every moment from birth until now and I believe it's important to share that with everyone.  Finding my inner voice, I tried my hand at fiction.  'And When' was published in 2012, followed by 'Now What' in 2013.  and the final in the trilogy 'Who Knew' in 2015. The story follows the life of one woman's life challenges that come her way. From illness, loss, love....the journey is one of self-realization and empowerment.